Trailer antenna rotor and mount



Jan. 20, 1959 E. SILVERMAN 2,869,813

TRAILER ANTENNA ROTOR AND MOUNT Filed Deb. 12, 1955 INVENTOR. [MAA Z/fl 5/; Vl-RMA/V United States Patent "ice This'inventionrelatesto antenna mounts. More particularly it concerns a controllabl'e'rotor mechanism and mount for house trailer television antennae.

l-louse trailer television antennae are customarily rigidly r'nounted at one endof the trailer body exterior. In some "-cases they are secured so as 'to be capable'of being lowered to the roof level when the trailer is in transit. However, since the house traileris apt to he parked in almost any compass position, the antenna elements have not always been'pointed'i'n a direction for best reception. To attempt adjustment from the outside is "difficult, usually impracticable and at "best quite unsatisfactory. p

l. The present invention has as its principal object, to eyercome the "aforesaid difiiculty and provide a trailer television antenna :m'cunt wherein the mast may be raised -or lowered and the antenna system "rotated "to any compass 'direetion by means controllable fro'm'within the trailer. W

A further object'i's to provide a house trailer'antenna "mount comprisinga rigid mast having a raised position which its antenna elements are drivingly connected for rotation with manualcontrol means located within the trailer'and which mast may be lowered to a transit position wherein the drive "connection is broken.

Another object of my invention is to provide ahouse trailer antenna mount as in the preceding object Wherein the mast is adapted to be rigidly held in its raised and lowered 'p'o's'itiong" i p 7 A 'parltictilar obje'ctof my in'vention is to provide a house ftr'ailer antenna mount asfin the preceding object fwhichis vs1 plefi'n construction weather and leak pro'of, easily installed, that requires no iiisasse'rnbly or parts o effect a eaa'ngetrom raised toflo'wered position, which is suitablefor the purpose intended and low in cost.

A specific object is to provide alhouse trailer antenna inotint rotatably controllable from the interior of the trailer and which is provided with suitable indexing in- 'diciafor positioning the antenna element forbestrece'pti'o'nffor each transmitting station. 1

Other objects" and advantages of my invention will appear from the following description and from the drawings "showing a'single illustrative embodiment of my invention 'and wherein: V Figure '1 is a'side 'elevational view partly in section of the antenna mount of myinventio'n with the'ante'nna in f'raise'dposi'tio'n'and'showing in phantom the lowere'd position thereof;

Figure 2 is "aside elev'ationalfv'iew taken interiorly of the tr'ailerfat 22 of Figure 1 showing the control and indexing 'me'an'sfor'the antenna mount of myinve'ntion;

Fig'ure 3'is a plan view partly insectiontaken at 3--3 of'Figure 1, of the uppermost and lowermost mast supportsand clamps; and p V Figure 4 is a similarview 'of the intermediate mast support and clamptaken at 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings especially Figure 1 2,859,813 Patented Jan. 26, 1959 2 wherein similar numerals depict similar parts of the structure, the lett'er'A represents generally a television antenna array of any suitable type carried by a mast assembly B controllable from the inside of a house trailer body 'C through control means D.

The mast assembly comprises a substantially rigid tubular metallic member 10, preferably of aluminum, carried in a pair of spaced apart main 'releaseable bearing clamping brackets 12, 14 secured to the bodyf'C and an antenna carrying member 16 supported in the upper end of the member '10 to which member 16 the antenna array A is hired by suitable clamping means '18. A third auxiliary bearing clamping bracket 20, to which morespecific reference will hereinafter be made, is positioned below the upper and lower main bearing clampingbr'acke'ts Hand '14, coaxial "therewith for supporting and rigidly holding the lower end of the mast assembly when the latter is in its lowered or transit position. The brackets '12 and 26 each comprise atransversly arranged base plate "22 for securing these brackets to one or more of the'layers 24, 26,23 of the body Cby fastening screws 3!). The outer and interior body layers 24 and 28 respectively, are usually of metal and the intermediate layer or core is usually of wood. I

Suitably secured as by spot welds 0r rivets to the plates 22 are horizontal-leg elements 32 arranged in spaced-apart'face-to facerelationship and which are provided with resilient portions 34 having V-shaped valleys 36 forming bearing faces between which a portion of the mast '10 or bevel gear 33 maybe supported. Suitable adjustable clamping means 39 comprising a-screw 46 and wing nut '42 carried in apertures 44 of the legs 32 provide means for clamping the'bracket to the mast assembly.

A The lower main bracket 14 comprises a Z-shaped base element 46 secured to the body C and a pair of upstanding leg elements 48 similar to the leg elements 32 but shorter than the latter secured to the base element '46 as by spot welding or riveting and arranged as in the case of the bracket 12 to :provide a bearing face for the mast It] and a clamping means 39. V M

It will be evident that by loosening the clamping means '39 of the bracket's'lz and 14 the mast 10 may be raised to operativeposition and reclamped, or lowered to its transit position and reclamped.

In the -latter event, the hub portion 48 of the gear 38, which will preferably be of'the same diameter as the mast 10, will "be received 'in'thebearing portionof the bracket 20 and journalled at its lowerend through the gear 38 to which it is suitably pinned. It will be observed that member 16 and gear 38 each have projecting shouldered end portions 52, 54 respectively, which rotatably fit the inner surface of the mast 10.

In the position shown in Figure l, the bevel gear 38 is operably engaged witha complementary bevel gear 56 which is pinned exteriorly "of the trailer body C to a shaft 53 extending through the body C, the shaft 58 having pinned to it at its inner end aha-nd wheel or crank 60 suitably located interiorly of the trailer. The shaft 58 is suitably'carried in a flanged tubular member 62 by a ,pairof spaced bearing bushings 64, 66, the latter of which is preferably a metal-cased graphite impregnated fibre water sealing bushing, the bushings 64, 66 being press fitted into the internal bore 68 of the member 62. The flanged member 62 is secured to the metal facing 3 or wood core of the trailer body C by screws 70. Water is prevented from entering the trailer body by a gasket 72 provided between the flange 74 of the member 62 and the metal facing 24 and by the sealing bushing 66.

By rotating the crank 60, drive is transmitted through the shaft 58, bevel gears 56, 38, shaft 50 and member 16 whereby to rotate the antenna array A to a suitable compass location. By preference the bevel gears 56, 38 will have a 1 to 1 ratio such that one full rotation of the hand wheel 60 will produce one complete rotation of the antenna array. In this manner a pointer '74 carried by the hand wheel may be made to tell the operator who is inside the trailer the exact position of the antenna array, the pointer operating past suitable indicia either on the interior wall 28 of the trailer or on a dial 78. The indicia may be in the form of points of the compass or degrees of angular rotation, and when the same is on a plate or dial 78 the latter may be either rigidly fixed to the wall 28 or adjustable rotatably speaking so as to provide a Zero point corresponding to a given position of the antenna array. In the latter case suitable clamping members 80 preferably three may be provided to fix the plate once set.

In operation of the device the mast will be maintained in its lowered position clamped in the bracket 20 and brackets 12, 14 during transit. When the trailer is parked for a stay, the clamping means 39 will be loosened, and the mast raised. In so doing, the bevel gear 38 will readily and easily effect a driving interengagement with gear 56. The brackets 12 and 14 will then have their clamps tightened and the antenna is ready for controlled rotation from within the trailer. Lowering the antenna is just as easy as raising it, the bevel gears 56, 38 readily becoming disengaged in the single operation of lowering the mast and the bracket 20 serving as a stop and socket for the gear end thereof.

At each stop of the trailer where the antenna is used, the operator will by trial quickly note the positions of the pointer corresponding to the best antenna array cations for the different broadcasting stations and then can shift from one station to another with ease and accuracy.

Where an adjustable dial 80 is provided the zero position thereof may, if desired, be set to a predetermined position of the antenna array so that if the trailer is moved to different locations in the same town or locality the same general reading may in most instances be used for the different stations.

From the foregoing description of my invention, it will be apparent that I have provided a novel antenna mount for house trailers and the like whereby the antenna array may be rotatably adjusted for best position for a given station from within the trailer and whereby the antenna array may easily be lowered to transit position or raised for operation without fussor tools or fear of operating difliculty. It will be understood that various modifications in the disclosed embodiment will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and intent of my invention. For example, other forms of known drive transmissions preferably of the non-slipping kind may be used in place of the bevel gear drive disclosed. Similarly, other forms of clamps may be employed. Hence all modifications and changes coming within the scope of the appended claims and all equivalents are contemplated.

I claim:

1. A manually controlled television antenna rotor and mount assembly comprising a house trailer or the like having a roof and a vertical wall, a hollow mast, bracket means mounting said mast to said wall in a generally vertical position, a shaft rotatably mounted in said mast, a shaft supporting member secured to the upper end of said shaft, said member being adapted for Supporting an antenna for rotation with said shaft, said mast and shaft being movable as a unit on said bracket means between an up position wherein said member is positioned to locate said antenna a predetermined distance above said trailer roof, and a down position wherein said member is lowered to locate said antenna adjacent said trailer roof, holding means releasably and nonrotatably holding said mast in said up position thereof, said holding means being releasable for moving said mast to said down position, a control shaft rotatably mounted in said vertical wall in a generally horizontal position adjacent the lower end of said mast and in a common vertical plane with said first-mentioned shaft, one end of said control shaft extending within said trailer and carrying a member for manually rotating this shaft, the other end of said control shaft having a bevel gear secured thereto for rotation with this shaft, and a second bevel gear secured to said first-mentioned shaft adjacent the lower end thereof, said bevel gears being interengaged when said mast is in said up position and said second gear becoming disengaged when said mast is moved to said'down position and said gears when engaged being adapted to transmit power from said control shaft to said first-mentioned shaft for effecting predetermined rotation of the latter shaft and said shaft supporting member and thereby said antenna.

2. A manually controllable television antenna rotor and mount assembly comprising a house trailer or the like having a living space, a roof and a vertical wall adjacent said living space, a hollow mast, a pair of spaced wall brackets mounting said mast in a generally vertical position in juxtaposition to said wall exteriorly of said living space, a vertical shaft rotatably mounted in said mast, a shaft supporting member secured to the upper end of said shaft, said member being adapted for supporting an antenna for rotation with said shaft, said mast and shaft being movable as a unit on said brackets between an up position wherein said member is positioned to locate said antenna a predetermined distance above said trailer roof, and a down position wherein said member is lowered to locate said antenna adjacent said trailer roof, a clamping member on at least one of said brackets for releasably holding said mast immobile in said up position thereof, said clamping member being releaseable for moving said mast to said down position, a control shaft, a bearing element secured to said wall and rotatably journalling said control shaft at an angle to said vertical shaft and in acommon vertical plane therewith, said control shaft having an inner end portion Within said living space and an outer end portion exteriorly thereof, a manually operable control member secured to said inner end portion of said control shaft, a bevel gear secured to said outer end portion of said control shaft andanother bevel gear secured to said vertical shaft adjacent the lower end thereof, the teeth of said bevel gears being interengaged when said mast is in said up position and becoming disengaged when said mast is moved to said down position, said gears when engaged being adapted to transmit power from said control shaft to said vertical shaft for effecting predetermined rotation of the latter shaft and said shaft supporting member and thereby said antenna.

3. A manually controllable television antenna rotor and mount assembly comprising a house trailer or the like having a roof and a vertical wall, a hollow mast, bracket means mounting said mast to said wall in a generally vertical position, a shaft rotatably mounted in said mast, a shaft supporting member secured to the upper end of said shaft, said member being adapted for supporting an antenna for rotation with said shaft, said mast and shaft being movable as a unit on said bracket means between an up position wherein said member is positioned to locate said antenna a predetermined distance above said trailer roof, and a down position wherein said member is lowered to locate said antenna adjacent said trailer roof, holding means for releasably and non-rotatably holding said mast in said up position common vertical plane with said first-mentioned shaft, one end of said control'shaft extending within said trailer and carrying a member for manually rotatingthis shaft,

the other end of said control shaft having a bevelgear secured thereto for rotation with this shaft, a second bevel gear secured to said first-mentioned shaft adjacent the lower end thereof, and stop means supported by said wall for abutting said second bevel gear in the down position of said mast, said bevel gears being interengaged when said mast is in said up position and becoming disengaged When said mast is moved to said down position and said gears when engaged being adapted to transmit power from said control shaft to said first mentioned shaft for effecting predetermined rotation of the latter shaft and its said supporting member and thereby said antenna.

4. A manually controllable television antenna rotor and mount assembly comprising a house trailer or the like having a living space, a roof and a vertical wall adjacent said living space, a hollow mast, a pair of spaced wall brackets mounting said mast in a generally vertical position in juxtaposition to said Wall exteriorly of said living space, a vertical shaft rotatably mounted in said mast, a shaft supporting member secured to the upper end of said shaft, said member being adapted for supporting an antenna for rotation with said shaft, said mast and shaft being movable as a unit on said brackets between an up position wherein said member is positioned to locate said antenna a predetermined distance above said trailer roof, and a down position wherein said member is lowered to locate said antenna adjacent said trailer roof, a

clamping member on at least one of said brackets for releasably holding said mast immobile in said up position thereof, said clamping member being releasable for moving said mast to said down position, a control shaft, a bearing element secured to said wall and rotatably journalling said control shaft at an angle to said vertical shaft and in a common vertical plane therewith, said control shaft having an inner end portion Within said living space and an outer end portion exteriorly thereof, a manually operable control member secured to said inner end portion of said control shaft, a bevel gear secured to said outer end portion of said control shaft, another bevel gear secured to said vertical shaft adjacent the lower end thereof, said other bevel gear having a downwardly projecting hub portion, and a third wall bracket below said mast for receiving said projecting hub portion when said mast is in said down position, the teeth of said bevel gears being interengaged when said mast is in said up position and becoming disengaged when said mast is moved to said down position, said gears when engaged being adapted to transmit power from said control shaft to said vertical shaft for effecting predetermined rotation of the latter shaft and its said supporting member and thereby said antenna.

5. A manually controllable television antenna rotor and mount assembly comprising a house trailer or the like having a living space, a roof and a vertical wall adjacent said living space, a hollow mast, a pair of spaced wall brackets mounting said mast in a generally vertical position in juxtaposition to said wall, a vertical shaft rotatably mounted in said mast, a shaft supporting member secured to the upper end of said shaft, said member being adapted for supporting an antenna for rotation with said shaft, said mast and shaft being movable as a unit on said brackets between an up position wherein said member is positioned to locate said antenna a predetermined distance above said trailer roof, and a down position wherein said member is lowered to locate said an tenna adjacent said trailer roof, a clamping member on at least one of said brackets for releasably holding said 6 mast immobile in said up position thereof, said clamping member being releasable for moving said mast to said down "position, a control shaft, a flanged element secured to said wall and rotatably journallirig 'said con- "trol *s'haft at a'nangle to said vertical shaft and'in a cammon vertical plane therewith, said'eon'trdlsha-ft having an inner end portion within said living space and an outer end portion exteriorly thereof, a manuall'y operable control member secured 'to said inner end portion of said control shaft, a bevel gear secured to said outer end pet tion of said eon-trol shaft, another bevel ge'ar secured to said vertical shaft adjacent the lower end thereof, said other bevel gear having a downwardly projecting hub portion, a third Wall bracket below said mast for receiving said projecting hub portion when said mast is in said down position and holding means on said third bracket for holding said other gear and thereby said mast in said down position thereof, the teeth of said bevel gears being interengaged when said mast is in said up position and becoming disengaged when said mast is moved to said down position, said gears when engaged being adapted to transmit power from said control shaft to said vertical shaft for effecting predetermined rotation of the latter shaft and its said supporting member and thereby said antenna.

6. A television antenna rotor and mount assembly comprising a wall structure defining an interior living space, a hollow mast, an elongated shaft rotatably mounted in said mast, a plurality of brackets secured to said wall structure exteriorly of said living space and supporting said mast in a predetermined generally vertical position, a clamping member on at least one of said brackets for non-rotatably holding said mast in said predetermined position, said clamp being releasable to facilitate relative axial movement between said mast and shaft as a unit relative to said one bracket, a shaft supporting member secured to the upper end of said shaft and in abutment with the upper end of said mast, a bevel gear secured to the lower end of said shaft and having its inner face in substantial abutment with the lower end of said mast, a relatively short control shaft, bearing means positioned in said wall structure and rotatably supporting said control shaft adjacent the lower end of said elongated shaft above said bevel gear and at an angle to said elongated shaft, said control shaft having an inner end portion projecting within said living space and an outer end portion extending exteriorly of said living space, a manually operable control member secured to the said inner end portion of said control shaft, another bevel gear secured to said outer end portion of said control shaft and having its teeth interengageable with the teeth of said first-mentioned bevel gear and a stop portion on another of said brackets for limiting said relative axial movement of said mast.

7. Mechanism for rotatably mounting a television antenna exteriorly of a living space to a wall structure defining said space and for manually operating said an tenna from within said space, comprising an elongated hollow mast having opposite ends, a plurality of wall mounting brackets for supporting said mast in a generally vertical position exteriorly of said space, holding means on at least one of said brackets operable for nonrotatably holding said mast in a predetermined position relative to its ends, said holding means being releasable to permit relative adjustment axially of said mast between said mast and said one bracket, an elongated shaft rotatably mounted in said mast, a shaft supporting member secured to the upper end of said shaft for rotation therewith and including a shoulder portion engaged with the upper end of said mast, a bevel gear secured to the lower end of said shaft and having its inner face engaged with the lower end of said mast, a relatively short control shaft, bearing means positioned in said wall structure and rotatably supporting said control shaft at an angle to said elongated shaft, a second bevel gear secured 7 to one end of said control shaft and interengageable with 2,391,202 said first-mentioned bevel gear, a manually operable con- 2,574,217 trol element secured to the other end of said control shaft and a stop portion on one of said brackets for determining the lowermost position of said gear and mast. 5

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,688,845 Alvear Oct. 23, 1928 10 8 Tellander et a1 Dec. 18, 1945 Hill Nov. 6, 1951 Edwards Elan. 22, 1952 OTHER REFERENCES Allied Radio Cat. No. 127, January 1952, page 154, upper right, Fig. G. 

